Advent, a four-week time of preparation before Christmas, begins the church year. For additional creative resources for individuals, families, and worship planners, visit Advent Unwrapped. The first Sunday in Advent often has a focus on Hope.
Worship Ideas
- Advent Bible Study: Nothing Says Advent Like the End of the World (33.99 KB) (Word): An inter-generational bible study that can be done in a coffee shop, a dorm room, around a kitchen table, or in worship.
- Advent Calls to Worship, and a Letter to Mary (24.6 KB) (Word): Some of the “best loved” material of earlier Advent/Christmas/Epiphany issues of Gathering.
- Advent Candle Lighting Liturgy Lifts Up Mission and Service Projects (26.02 KB) (Word): Liturgies for Advent and White Gift Sunday that incorporate and Mission & Service story.
- Advent Candle Lighting: Bold Discipleship (91.69 KB) (Word): Candle-lighting liturgy that dares us to dream boldly.
- Advent Communion Liturgy (68.56 KB) (Word): All who seek to be nourished and sustained are welcome here.
- Advent Unwrapped 2024 Blue Christmas or Longest Night Service (49.17 KB) (Word): A new Blue Christmas service by Rev. Dr. Lisa Waites.
- Advent Unwrapped 2024 Making Space for the Grace of Hope (1C) (31.79 KB) (Word): An order of worship for Advent 1C.
- Body Prayers (2.31 MB) (PDF): An Advent Unwrapped “action prayer” for each week of the Advent/Christmas season.
- Candle-Lighting Liturgy (26.57 KB) (Word): An invitation to consider our world that God so loves beyond the familiar and engage with the non-familiar.
- Family Prayers and Blessings (221.67 KB) (PDF): An Advent Unwrapped resource of traditional prayers and creative blessings.
- Gathering Lectionary for Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, December 1, 2024-March 2, 2025 (99.18 KB) (Word): Includes suggested readings, hymns, worship sparks, children's time ideas, sermon starters, etc.
- Hanging the Greens (39.92 KB) (Word): An Advent Unwrapped service to prepare church buildings and sanctuaries to be symbols of preparing ourselves for the birth and rebirth of Jesus.
- In the Rich Dark of Winter: An Advent Communion Service (235.68 KB) (PDF): Using expansive scriptural imagery, the theme of this Advent Unwrapped service is anticipating God’s fulfilled promise of the renewal of all things.
- O Come, O Come, Emmanuel (269.67 KB) (PDF): A one-rehearsal Advent Unwrapped pageant with the message "God is with us! We are not alone."
- The Days Are Surely Coming (25.2 KB) (Word): A service by Miriam Spies for the first Sunday of Advent, year C, and Disabilities Awareness Day.
Music
- Advent Prayer Song (SAB) (Nancy Chegus) (61.83 KB) (PDF): Short SAB piece (a cappella, optional piano) suitable for worship during Advent. Please credit the composer.
- Alleluia (SATB) (Pat Mayberry / David Kai) (418.48 KB) (PDF): Short SATB piece (a cappella, optional piano) suitable for worship during Advent or other times during the worship year. Please credit Words/Music: Pat Mayberry; Arrangement: David Kai and report to One License / Licensing.
- As the Wind Blows (SA Anthem) (Pat Mayberry / David Kai) (2.55 MB) (PDF): “As the wind blows, as the seed grows, lifts its harvest to the sun…” Please credit Words/Music: Pat Mayberry; Arrangement: David Kai and report to One License / Licensing.
- Candle Burning (SATB Anthem) (Pat Mayberry / David Kai) (3.58 MB) (PDF): “We each are born with a candle burning. This is the flame that lights the way.” Please credit Words/Music: Pat Mayberry; Arrangement: David Kai and report to One License / Licensing.
- Intercultural Hymn Festival for Advent (219.55 KB) (PDF): These songs with accompanying commentary can be combined with seasonal prayers and scripture readings to create an Advent hymn festival. Please credit Bruce Harding for this resource and the music arrangements.
- Scripture Music for Advent (239.47 KB) (PDF): Words and music to accompany scripture during Advent.
- Service Music for Advent (329.68 KB) (PDF): Words and music for Advent services composed by Lisa Waites.
- Sing Now Gloria (Unison) (Terry Macham) (85.52 KB) (PDF): Unison song suitable for worship during Advent. Lead sheet with melody, lyrics, and chord symbols. Text in English and Latin. Please credit the composer.
- These Gifts We Bring (SATB) (Pat Mayberry / David Kai) (1.86 MB) (PDF): A short piece to follow the offering. Please credit Words/Music: Pat Mayberry; Arrangement: David Kai and report to One License / Licensing.
- We Light This Candle (SATB) (Pat Mayberry / David Kai) (2 MB) (PDF): A piece for use during candle lighting for the four weeks of Advent. Please credit Words/Music: Pat Mayberry; Arrangement: David Kai and report to One License / Licensing.
- When You Go from This Place (SSA / SAT) (Pat Mayberry / David Kai) (297.13 KB) (PDF): Short SAA (or SAT) piece with piano accompaniment suitable as a benediction during Advent or other times during the worship year. Please credit Words/Music: Pat Mayberry; Arrangement: David Kai and report to One License / Licensing.
Related Material
- 2021 KAIROS Palestine Christmas Alert (1.37 MB) (PDF): A glimpse on Palestinians' life inside and outside Palestine and the unity in struggle, resistance, and hope.
- Acknowledging the Territory in Worship (170.12 KB) (PDF): A brief guide to help congregations and bodies of the church incorporate an Acknowledgement of Territory into their gatherings.
- Advent as a Season of Invitation (1.46 MB) (Word): Tips for working on the invitation-culture of your church during Advent.
- Advent as a Season of Invitation Card (362.15 KB) (PDF): Use this fillable, printable card to invite others to your church to celebrate this Christmas season!
- Advent as a Season of Invitation Video: United Church growth animators Tori Mullin and Scott Reynolds play out a conversation between neighbours with three possible responses to an invitation to Christmas worship. This conversation highlights the importance of hearing the needs of others while also respecting boundaries when inviting others to celebrate this Christmas season.
- Buy Less Shopping Guide (108.17 KB) (PDF): An Advent Unwrapped shopping guide for all ages for a Buy Less Christmas.
- Moderator's Advent Message 2024: Transcript (33.57 KB) (Word): Transcript of Moderator Carmen Lansdowne's Advent 2024 video message.
- Moderator’s Advent Message 2024: Video: In her Advent message, Moderator Carmen Lansdowne reflects on how the Christ child was not born in luxury, but had loving parents and God’s grace. This love is what we hope for with all of those in our care. You can support children around the world: united-church.ca/advent.
- The Good News of Joy to the World (226.11 KB) (PDF): A five-session Advent Unwrapped Bible study on the Gospel of Luke by the Rev. Dr. Peggy Mulambya-Kabonde of The United Church of Zambia.
- The Good News Story (392.39 KB) (PDF): Four Advent Unwrapped Sunday school session outlines.
- Watching and Waiting: A Daily Vigil Based on the O Antiphons (628.25 KB) (PDF): Follow the ancient tradition of praying the “O Antiphons,” familiar from the carol “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,” using this Advent Unwrapped resource. You can set aside nightly family prayer time for the last week of Advent or adapt this ritual in another way.
Worship Blog
Speaking of Darkness in Advent
Our ingrained notions of black/white and darkness/light as inherently good and evil can guide how we treat each other.
Advent begins with Hope
Shanna Bernier shares the first of a series of Advent reflections, based on a young adult pilgrimage to Palestine and Israel.
Unwrapping "The 'Huron' Carol"
We have received many comments and questions about whether or not to incorporate the “’Twas in the Moon of Wintertime” into Christmas carol services. Thanks to Dana Lynn Seaborn, of seabornsong.com, who offered us a helpful response to start the… Read more
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